Blow the Whistle, a campaign ran by the South Yorkshire Echo that launched last week, has raised over £200 in just six days.
The money is being raised for YWCA Yorkshire (Young Women’s Christian Association) so they can build a new well-being centre at Peile House. The well-being centre will consist of a space for the residents to exercise and do yoga or let out their frustrations in a rage room.
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
Claire Harding, Project Manager at Peile House, thinks the campaign is “really important.”
“During Covid-19 we got the residents up every morning to do Joe Wicks’ PE and we noticed with the physical exercise that there was an improvement in their mental health and wellbeing. We would also do yoga that they really enjoyed it” said Claire.
“They have a lot of pent up frustration and we wanted a rage room. We always talk and listen but for them to have a space where they can either do some yoga and exercise or punch a punch bag would be amazing.
“If you think of how exhausting it must be to feel angry every single day and not have any way of managing it. I thought this could be somewhere they could go to release it and then recover,” she added.
Peile House consists of a total of 14 flats and bedsits for women aged 16-25, some of whom bring a child under two years with them. They can stay for up to twelve months and are given support and guidance through a range of therapeutic and practical programmes.
At Christmas time, Peile House runs two weeks’ worth of activities, from bauble decorating, to movie nights and lunch on Christmas Day.
Sadly, the workload at the project goes through the roof as the nights begin to get darker.
During the 2018 World Cup, South Yorkshire saw a 1488% increase in domestic assaults causing injury.
“Football doesn’t cause domestic abuse, it’s the perpetrator that causes the abuse. At times where there is a lot of alcohol being drunk, domestic abuse incidents increase, and football and alcohol go hand in hand,” said Claire.
She concluded: “I think any discussion when it comes to violence is important and when there’s an event that causes a statistical increase, it’s really important to make sure that everybody knows what’s out there to help and support them. It’s important to know that it’s not your fault, and that there is a way out.”
